Is it possible to share an ArcGIS Pro layout without including the original file geodatabase?

Answer

Yes, it is possible to share an ArcGIS Pro layout without sharing the original file geodatabase. This can be achieved by sharing the layout as a layout file.

A layout can be shared using a project template or a layout file. A project template includes maps, scenes, layouts, databases, folder connections, and other items of a project. When a project template is selected to create a new project, the project contains two file geodatabases; the original file geodatabase of the project the template is generated in, and the default file geodatabase of the new project.

The image below demonstrates the Catalog pane of the ProjectTemplate_Test project created using a project template. The file geodatabase of the project the template is generated in, original_project.gdb, is also included under the Databases folder with the default file geodatabase.

While a project template is useful in standardizing the practices within a workgroup or organization, in instances where the workflow requires sharing only the layout as a template and not the other items in the project, the layout can be shared as a layout file instead.

A layout can exist outside of a project as a layout file and be shared across projects. A layout file can be used as a template for new projects and can create consistency across a set of layouts or throughout an organization. Maps referenced by map frames on the page can be included in the layout file, but only paths to the displayed data are included, not the data. Unlike a project template, a layout file can be imported to a project instead of generating a new project, allowing the user to include multiple layout files in a project.

The image below demonstrates the Catalog pane of the Test_Project project after a layout file is imported.